Sustainability Commons^™

Towards Sustainable Energy: Design And Preliminary Testing Of Tidal Current Turbines, Yareli A. Zelaya Pavon

Presentations - 2025

As the energy demand constantly increases and traditional energy resources decrease, incorporating sustainable alternatives has become necessary. In this context, this research attempts to provide a new solution for energy scarcity in regions that lack electricity, especially those located near large ocean areas. The objective of this project was to engineer and investigate an ideal prototype to transform power generation. Through detailed design and testing, this project seeks to reveal the potential of tidal energy, offering an alternative to communities struggling with energy distribution.

The research focuses on utilizing custom-designed propellers, which are 3D printed and installed on an open …

Water Consumption & Efficiency: Casa Maria Marianist Household, Deborah Alonso, Veronica Geronimo, Arturo Arana, Adrian Roda Teran, Roberto Abarca

Presentations - 2025

In the fall of 2021, St. Mary’s University became one of the first universities in Texas to commit to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP). With this seven-year commitment to the principles of Laudato Si’, the St. Mary’s community is now taking steps to become a more environmentally sustainable campus. An important part of this effort is to establish baseline conditions from which to measure progress in sustainability with respect to specific university systems. With extensive grounds, dozens of buildings, and thousands of students, staff, and faculty, however, the complexities of a college campus can make it difficult to …

From Faith To Watts: Energy Efficiency In Casa Maria, Trinity Gomez, Marvin Masabo Nkaka, Jazmin Palacios, Olivia Riojas, Chelsy Tinacba

Presentations - 2025

In the fall of 2021, St. Mary’s University became one of the first universities in Texas to commit to Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ Action Platform (LSAP). With this seven-year commitment to the principles of Laudato Si’, the St. Mary’s community is now taking steps to become a more environmentally sustainable campus. An important part of this effort is to establish baseline conditions from which to measure progress in sustainability with respect to specific university systems. With extensive grounds, dozens of buildings, and thousands of students, staff, and faculty, however, the complexities of a college campus can make it difficult to …

Storage Batteries (Renewable Energies/Cars) - Background For Cure "Battery Discharge" Project, Alexa Miner, Clarissa Cortez, James Gonzalez, Ryan Romine

Posters - 2025

In the past, and even today, Texas is known for its oil rigs and non-renewable energy sources, but it has also become a pillar for solar and wind turbine created power. As of late, the usage of these kinds of renewable resources has become essential to keep Texas as efficient as we once were in an ever growing world, where more people need more energy. However, a caveat concerning renewable energy resources is how available they are. At first, this unfamiliar territory led to people doubting its productivity when there was a lack of wind or sunshine. The solution to …

Valorization Of Industrial Wastes To Low-Carbon Minerals, Nandan Nag

Civil & Environmental Engineering Theses & Dissertations

This study concentrates on developing methods for utilizing industrial waste materials such as red mud and phosphate slag. In this study, an electrochemical process was developed for recovering iron metal powder from red mud. Red mud is a waste material from aluminum refineries. Although red mud can be utilized as a construction and building material, its use is becoming controversial due to its high metal content, which contributes to its toxicity. However, the high iron oxide content in red mud makes it a good feedstock for producing iron. In this project, we employed an electrochemical technique for extracting iron powder …

The Living Campus: Landscaping With Purpose At St. Mary's, Karelen Bastida, Alyana Estes, Erick Jarquin, Elijah Perez

Presentations - 2025

This project focuses on evaluating and improving current landscaping and waste management practices at the Casa Maria community to create a sustainable model that can be scaled across the broader campus.

Brother Nature: Pursuing Zero-Waster At Casa Maria, Isaiah Charles, Giuliana Porzio Cuenca, Tatiana Flores, Isabella Lopez, Antonio Martinez, Kelly Sawyers

Presentations - 2025

This presentation focuses on evaluating waste production and management at Casa Maria, a Marianist community on campus, with the goal of establishing baseline data and offering sustainability recommendations grounded in the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle. Insights from this initiative aim to inform broader sustainability efforts across the university.

Analysis Of The Potential Impacts Of Brine And The Main Challenges Of The Water Importing Project From The Gulf Of California To Phoenix, Arizona (Arizona Water Project Solution), Alejandro Corral Hernandez

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

In December 2022, the Arizona Water Project Solution (AWPS) was presented to the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA). The project proposes to develop, construct, and operate a Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) plant in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, and transport potable water through a 200-mile pipeline to supply the city of Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States.

This study includes a cross-multiple-case analysis, incorporating expert data and information, to evaluate the brine impacts and challenges faced in developing the five operational SWRO plants in Israel and the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad plant in California, United States. By identifying patterns, …

Ground-Arthropod Assemblage Response To Groundwater As A Metric Of Flooding In The Middle Rio Grande, Wesley Noe

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

Riparian zones are dynamic ecosystems, crucial for maintaining biodiversity and ecological balance, particularly in arid environments like the Middle Rio Grande (MRG). Ground arthropods, with their sensitivity to environmental changes, serve as bioindicators for assessing the impacts of water regime changes in the MRG, specifically flooding which was historically the main driver of the MRG ecosystem. This study investigated the responses of ground arthropod communities to fluctuations in groundwater and land management practices within MRG riparian habitats. Using a combination of pitfall trapping and habitat assessments, arthropod abundance was assessed in relation to depth to groundwater (DTG). Findings revealed shifts …

Spatial And Equity Analysis Of The Xeriscape Conversion Rebate Program In Albuquerque, Nm., Claire Jordy

Water Resources Professional Project Reports

With increasing water scarcity concerns threatening water supplies, many cities in the Western U.S. are focusing more effort on their water conservation programs to reduce consumptive water use. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority (Water Authority) in Bernalillo County, NM has had several water conservation programs in place since the 1990s, and still, they aim to further reduce water consumption. The Xeriscape Conversion Rebate Program is one of the primary tools to achieve this goal, encouraging customers to convert their high water-use turfgrass lawns to desert-friendly xeriscaping by providing a one-time rebate on their water bill. This rebate program …

Constructed Wetlands: A Sustainable Solution For Wastewater Treatment In Ireland, Dominic M. Hernandez, Jeanne Sumrall

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Effective wastewater treatment is crucial for maintaining water quality in Ireland. This study examined the performance of constructed wetlands as a potential solution, by analyzing three research articles. It was found that CWs are effective in reducing pollutants, with one highlighting the seasonal impacts on phosphorus retention, one demonstrating significant nitrogen and pathogen removals, and one another revealing limitations in long-term phosphorus and nitrogen removal. These studies indicated overall that CWs offer a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. Future research should focus on optimizing system designs and environmental factors, as those were shown to have a significant impact on CW …

Coastal Erosion In Ireland, Brian Nguyen, Jeanne Sumrall

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

Ireland's approach to managing its coastlines focuses more on a short-term solution method rather than long-term, eco-friendly solutions. Their coastal defenses are created upon an immediate need without clear policies and sufficient research. As a result, beach ecosystems are frequently damaged, and the erosion is only reduced to a certain extent. To reduce erosion and protect both the environment and Irish culture, this study suggests that Ireland should implement national policies focused on regularly monitoring coastal erosion, researching nature-based solutions, and implementing them to address the problem. Moving forward, it’s important for research to focus on understanding the overall impact …

"'For All Its Problems, It's Mine": Writing And Sustaining Queer Appalachian Stories In Youth Literature, Jason Vanfossen

Sustainability Research & Practice Seminar Presentations

Dr. Jason Vanfosson, English, presents: "'For All Its Problems, It's Mine": Writing and Sustaining Queer Appalachian Stories in Youth Literature

Seepage Evolution Patterns And Self-Sealing Characterization Of Mining-Induced Overburden Fractures In Ecologically Vulnerable Mining Areas, Li Jianwei, Sun Yanchao, Zhang Chuanjiu, Ta Xupeng, Cao Jian, Zhang Jian

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective The ecologically vulnerable areas (EVAs) in West China have been significantly affected by coal mining. In these areas, aquifers overlying goaves have been damaged under mining disturbance, being prone to cause water resource loss and desertification. Hence, it is crucial to guide the self-sealing of fractures artificially to preserve and further restore the groundwater level.Methods This study investigated mining face 22108 in the Buertai coal mine in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Based on the physical simulation experiments using similar materials, numerical calculations, and theoretical analysis, this study delved into the seepage evolution patterns of fractures in the …

Table Of Contents, The Editors

Coal Geology & Exploration

No abstract provided.

Geological Technological Innovations And Contributions In The Exploration And Development Of The Shenfu Coalfield, Fan Limin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background The discovery and exploration of the Shenfu coalfield (i.e., a Jurassic coalfield in northern Shaanxi Province) represent the most significant achievement in China’s coal industry during the 6th Five-Year Plan of the country, marking the onset of the strategic westward shift of China’s coal industry. The complex discovery and exploration processes of the Shenfu coalfield have yielded valuable technological innovations. A summary of advances in the geological exploration and research of this coalfield will provide significant implications and references for the geologic work and green development of major coal-producing areas in West China. Advances First, research on the coal …

Mining-Induced Fault Slip: Assessment Model And Method For Determining Fault Instability Ranges, Zhao Hongbao, Zhang Bo, Zhang Chi, Ji Dongliang

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Faults are highly susceptible to activation and slip instability under the influence of mining. This might trigger many disasters such as mine earthquakes, posing serious threats to mine safety. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the mechanical mechanisms behind mining-induced fault activation and determine the ranges of mutual feedback between mining and fault activation in advance. Methods With the 213B mining face of the Xinzhi coal mine as the engineering background, this study analyzed the fault activation process induced by mining and created an elastic mechanical model for the impacts of mining on the surrounding rocks of faults. Accordingly, …

Geological Characteristics And Key Technologies For Exploration And Development Of The Yanchuannan Coalbed Methane Field, Ordos Basin, He Xipeng, Xiao Cui, Gao Yuqiao, Li Xin, Guo Tao, Cai Xiao

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective China boasts abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resources, which serve as a crucial replacement for the reserve growth and production addition of natural gas resources. In recent years, CBM exploration and production have gradually expanded into deep, thin coal seams, which, however, are characterized by strong heterogeneity, ultra-low permeability, high in situ stress, and complex enrichment patterns. Therefore, the exploration and exploitation of deep, thin coal seams face challenges such as inadequate geological theories, poor adaptability of key technologies, and low investment returns, which hinder large-scale commercial CBM production. Methods Focusing on the exploration and exploitation practice of middle-deep, thin …

Exploring Sandstone-Hosted Uranium Deposits In Coal-Bearing Basins Using Geophysical Methods: A Case Study Of The East-Central Erlian Basin, Liang Jiangang, Kuang Haiyang, Cao Zhanning, Yang Weimin

Coal Geology & Exploration

Background Sandstone-hosted uranium deposits, critical to the uranium resources growth in China, are extensively distributed in continental and marine-continental transitional sedimentary rocks. Currently, the exploration and research on these deposits in China focus primarily on the Meso-Cenozoic sedimentary basins in the northern regions. Objective and Methods‌ The Erlian Basin exhibits the coexistence of uranium, coals, and oil. This study investigated the east-central part of this basin using multiple geophysical data, including regional gravity survey, aeromagnetic survey, and airborne radioactivity survey (ARS). Furthermore, six 2D seismic profiles totaling 130 km in length were deployed, and instantaneous soil radon measurement as employed. …

Impacts Of Diamond Particle Sizes On Performance Of Ni-Cu Superhydrophobic Coatings On Drilling Tool Surfaces, Wen Qi, Li Tao, Duan Longchen, Pan Bingsuo

Coal Geology & Exploration

Objective Applying superhydrophobic coatings on drilling tool surfaces can effectively alleviate the challenges posed by drill bit balling and core barrel blockage. However, the limited mechanical stability of superhydrophobic coatings has somewhat hindered their widespread application in practical operations. Methods To improve the durability of superhydrophobic coatings, this study co-deposited diamond micropowder into Ni-Cu composite coating using composite electrodeposition, followed by surface modification using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane (PFDTES). Employing a variety of testing methods, this study investigated the impacts of the mass fractions of diamonds with particle sizes of 1 μm and 20 μm (also referred to as diamonds W1 and W20, …